Fox News commentator Oliver North will be the next President of the National Rifle Association, the gun group said in a statement released on Monday.
North gained public prominence for his participation in the Iran-Contra affair, secretly selling arms to Iran to finance right-wing insurrection in Nicaragua. North was indicted on 16 felony counts and convicted on 3, but the convictions were subsequently overturned due to his limited immunity when testifying before Congress.
“Look, I’m a right-wing goon — everybody knows it, right?” North toldThe New York Times in 2014.
North will now be tasked with repairing the NRA's reputation, which has been hard-hit since the February 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
“This is the most exciting news for our members since Charlton Heston became President of our Association,” said NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre.
"A total warrior for freedom, this is the last person that anti-gun advocates would want as the new President of the NRA board," NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch claimed.
The internet, however, had a harsh assessment of the man Hunter S. Thompson described as, "the Charles Manson figure in this hideous scandal that crawls like a plague of maggots on the White House."
Here are some of the top responses to the NRA's announcement: